A NY-23 Update: Steele Accepts Hoffman, Biden Stumps For Owens

The latest info from the very exciting NY-23 race comes from two stories in Politico.

First we have Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele saying that a Hoffman win is a GOP win.

From Politico: 

“You’ve got two Republicans running in that race. My upside is that one of them will likely win,” Steele said. “We want to be supporting the one that wins.”

“I don’t split the party into conservative or not,” he said. “I’m looking as the national chairman to walk out of there one way or the other with a win.”

Asked if he would support Hoffman in 2010 if the Conservative Party candidate won the special election and sought reelection, Steele responded: “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Is he a Republican?” Steele asked. “He’s the Conservative Party nominee, but he ran initially as a Republican.”

Oh so now he is Republican. Where was that thought as so many in the GOP leadership was just peachy with über RINO Scozzafava? Steele’s response for why he did not have anything to say about Scozzafava getting picked had this to say: 

“My responsibility was to support the choice of the state party. They made their choice,” Steele said, though he added that he had “no idea” why the Scozzafava won the nomination because he was “not involved.”

Referring to the numerous prominent Republicans who have bucked the party establishment and endorsed Hoffman, Steele pointed to his own responsibilities as party chairman.

“I don’t get to pick-and-choose like that,” Steele said. “They make their own personal and political choices.”

Ok so you cannot pick and choose, but as the National Committee Chairman, I think if you held your nose every time her name was mentioned, they would get the point.

Asked if a Hoffman win would be a referendum on the GOP Steele said: 

“Is it a referendum on the Republican Party? Yes, in terms of how we’ve healed and how we’ve turned the corner,” the RNC chairman said. “This could be the test to see if we are able to do that.” 

Not quite Mikey, the referendum would be that the base is sick and tired of the GOP slapping R on the end of the name of anyone with a pulse. Put out the word loud and clear, the people want principled candidates!

About Joe Biden stumping for the Democratic candidate Bill Owens, methinks I smell desperation. The way things are panning out; New Jersey is looking like the only possibility for the Democrats. After visiting a Chris Christie rally last night, I would put that on shaky grounds too,

Joe has had a few incidents of low turn out when he has headlined and considering he Bagdad Bob impersonations with touting the Stimulus, I would count Biden as credible support.

From Politico: 

The White House is sending Vice President Joe Biden to upstate New York to campaign for Democrat Bill Owens in a last-minute push to help Democrats pick up the longtime Republican House seat.

The Biden rally will be taking place next Monday morning in Watertown.

“I’m honored to have the President and Vice President’s support," Owens said in a statement announcing the vice-presidential visit. "I am excited to welcome the Vice President to Watertown where we’ll discuss my plans to create jobs Upstate and my commitment to helping turn the page on the George Bush economic agenda.”

The Biden event comes the day before the special election, which has turned into a two-way contest between Owens and a third-party Conservative challenger, Doug Hoffman, who has captured the momentum in the race in the last several days. 

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Politico

Via: Politico